When a broken water pipe destroys Gwen Keebler’s thrift store, she’s convinced her day can’t get worse. But that same day, her blackmailing ex-fiancé finds her living in the small Colorado town of Elkridge. She’s ready to pack up and hit the road again when a former Marine provides options.

Former Brigadier General Dale Bryant has returned home to repair his relationship with his daughter, and his broken, widowed heart. The last thing he expects is to rescue Gwen as well. The sexy storeowner caught his attention the first time they met, but he’s fourteen years older, and she’s his daughter’s friend.

Yet to truly save Gwen, the widower realizes he must let her go. Will Gwen run again, or will she face her past and fight for Dale?

EXPOSED is a sweet contemporary romance about a brave woman and a heroic man who fulfill their dreams. If you like heartfelt characters, deep topics with powerful emotional cores, and happy endings, then you’ll love this fifth book in Lyz Kelley’s tales of strength, love, and survival. A 25K words, 85+ page novella.

Award-winning, contemporary romance author Lyz Kelley lives in a small community in Colorado with her husband and several four-legged family members. Lyz writes about brave women who have faced extraordinary challenges, and the honorable men who have an enormous capacity to love, even if they may not know it.

A healing love is at the heart of her book series. Creating wounded yet amazing characters—discovering what drives them, frightens them, heals them, makes them laugh—is what gives her joy. Lyz is pleased to share that joy through her masterfully written stories.

To keep tabs on her award-winning novels, connect with Lyz by signing up for her newsletter at LyzKelley.com. Also visit LyzKelleysHeroes.com to join Kelley’s Heroes, Lyz’s VIP club. Members receive an exclusive copy of A Soldier’s Wife, learn about thoughtful giveaways, and get a sneak peek at upcoming releases. Members may even get the opportunity to receive advanced reader copies. Check out LyzKelley.com for more information.

Why would I want to read the Elkridge Series? Each book in the Elkridge series is a piece to a puzzle—a suspenseful mystery involving the murder of a small-town sheriff. You get six contemporary romance books to figure out the mystery and a bunch of happy ever after (HEA) endings. Two novels in this fiction series—Blinded and Orphaned—are award-winning romance books.

Where is Elkridge, Colorado?Elkridge exists only in my mind. On any given day, I can stop at River Creek Café for Jenna’s fresh baked cinnamon rolls, or shop for a birthday present at Mara’s Blooms, or get my nails done at Kym’s nail salon. Sitting in the park eating lunch, I can watch the kids play and hear the latest gossip from neighbors. Later, if I want, I can stop at Mad Jack’s to hear a local band play and get some dinner. Elkridge is a great small town where the sun shines 360 days a year and people do their best to make ends meet.

Would you tell us about your writing process? It takes me awhile to write each stand-alone story because I am passionate about creating the very best stories for my readers. These contemporary romance books have complex plots and sub-plots and include suspense romance threads, with deep emotional women’s fiction elements, humor and even a bit of quirkiness. I’m so excited to see the 5-star ratings because it means I’ve created the ideal mix to provide readers with a few hours of enjoyment.

EXPOSED: Frequently Asked Questions: (FAQ)

How did the book EXPOSED come about?

Both Gwen and Dale were secondary characters in previous books. My editor, Faith Freewoman, insisted that I put the characters together. My first thought was, “no, there is too much of an age difference. What would they have in common?” However, I’d recently made the decision to put more diversity into my books—younger, older, black, white, purple…it doesn’t matter. I want to create complex, diverse characters, so I took on the challenge of creating a story for Gwen and Dale.

Why did you make Gwen’s parents wealthy?

Years ago, I saw Into the Wild, a movie about a young man rejecting his wealthy upbringing to live a simpler, more authentic life. It’s a true story, and if you haven’t read the book, or seen the movie, I would recommend it. When I started thinking how Gwen’s a part of Elkridge, I asked myself how her life is/or would be affected by Sheriff Sam’s murder, and wham, there was her story. A woman wanting a normal life, away from greed and corruption, finding happiness in Elkridge, Colorado. How cool is that?

Three reasons. First: Writing shorter pieces is hard. Trying to write a full story in such few words is challenging, but I wanted to grow as a writer and take on that challenge. Second: I wanted to honor and meet women’s needs. There are women all over the world wanting short, fulfilling reads. I thought about working women riding the train or taking a bus to work, or those who want good lunchtime reading. I considered new moms wanting an escape while their child is breastfeeding or napping, or they want to pass the time while waiting to pick up their children from school. With these shorter books, I celebrate our differences, and allow all readers, no matter where they are, the chance to be swept away into another world.